Monday, 16 December 2013
Cristiano Ronaldo's new museum
With the Museu CR7 in the Portuguese star's native
Madeira unveiled on Sunday, Goal takes a look at the very best images
from the grand opening in Funchal
The Museu CR7 is now officially open. Family,
friends and a host of Portuguese celebrities were present on Sunday to
witness the Real Madrid forward's latest venture as the 28-year-old's
museum in Madeira's capital Funchal opened its doors to the world.Here, Goal looks at some of the best images from the inauguration of the new Museu CR7...
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Barcelona 6-1 Celtic
Neymar hat-trick wins group as Barca run riot
The Brazilian opened his Champions League account with three goals as the Liga side secured top spot in devastating fashion, while the visitors bow out with a whimper
The Brazil star had not previously scored in
Europe's premier club competition, but was in irrepressible form against
the Scottish champions at the Camp Nou on Wednesday.
Barca lost
their last Champions League outing at Ajax, but were in no mood to
repeat that disappointment as they dismantled Celtic with an
irresistible attacking display.
Gerard Pique began the rout after
just seven minutes, before Pedro doubled the hosts' advantage five
minutes before the interval.
Neymar's first goal came in the 44th
minute, and he had completed his treble before the hour-mark with two
superb finishes before substitute Cristian Tello added a sixth 18
minutes from time.
Georgios Samaras grabbed a late consolation
with a header two minutes before the end, but the hosts were in ominous
form as they won the group with consummate ease.
Barca dominated the game from the outset, and were rewarded for their early pressure when Pique broke the deadlock after just seven minutes.
Fraser Forster did well to save Alexis Sanchez's deflected
shot with his legs, but the Celtic keeper was powerless to prevent
Pique from rifling the rebound into the roof of the net from six yards.
The
game continued to be played exclusively in Celtic’s half, but Martino’s
men had to wait until five minutes prior to the break to finally double
their advantage courtesy of Pedro.
Pique was
again heavily involved as he played a fine pass to Neymar, who raced
away from Efe Ambrose and squared for the winger to finish neatly from
close range.
And Barca extended their lead further just before half-time as Neymar
- who was recalled by Gerardo Martino after being rested for the Copa
del Rey win at Cartagena - tapped home a typically free-flowing move
involving Xavi, Sergi Roberto, Alexis and Martin Montoya.
Xavi
and Sergi linked well before the outstanding Sanchez lifted a deft pass
into the path of Montoya, who rolled the ball across the face of goal
for the Brazilian to convert.
Martino’s side were in no mood to take their foot off the pedal after half-time, and it took Neymar just three minutes of the second period to grab his second of the game following another sumptuous passing move.
The
21-year-old played a slick one-two with Xavi after more good work from
Sergi before firing unerringly into the top corner from 10 yards.
And Neymar
completed his hat-trick just before the hour as he collected Adriano’s
pass down the left, bamboozled Ambrose with some sensational footwork
and slotted past Forster, with Matthews unable to clear on the line.
Barca continued searching for more goals to banish the memory of their defeat in Amsterdam, and Tello got in on the act on 72 minutes when his shot deflected past the helpless Forster.
Samaras
then restored a semblance of respectability to the scoreline for Celtic
on 88 minutes when he headed home a free-kick from close range.
Napoli 2-0 Arsenal
Arsene Wenger's side were beaten in Italy, with Mikel Arteta shown a red card in the second half, but the result still sees them qualify at the Serie A outfit's expense
Two late goals for Napoli proved to be in vain as they crashed out of the Champions League despite a 2-0 victory over 10-man Arsenal.
Needing to win by three goals to definitely go through, it took until the 73rd minute for the Italians to get on the scoresheet, Gonzalo Higuain hitting a shot on the turn from around 18 yards to send the home fans into raptures, before Mikel Arteta saw red for a second bookable offence.
But news from Marseille was met with cries of despair from the stands, with Kevin Grosskreutz firing Borussia Dortmund to a last-gasp 2-1 victory and sending the Germans through as winners of Group F.
Jose Callejon added a second for Napoli at the death, but it was too little too late for the Serie A club.
Arsenal go through as runners-up and have now qualified from the group stages for 14 consecutive seasons.
Pepe Reina once again missed out for the hosts, but was fit enough for a place among the substitutes, while Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere dropped to the Arsenal bench in favour of Tomas Rosicky and Mathieu Flamini as Arsene Wenger made two alterations to the side that were held 1-1 by Everton on Sunday.
Napoli applied the early pressure, Goran Pandev forcing Wojciech Szczesny into a save from a tight angle in the ninth minute after receiving the ball from a Dries Mertens cross.
Wenger’s men weathered the early storm and Olivier Giroud finally posed a threat at the other end of the pitch in the 23rd minute, with stand-in keeper Rafael Cabral punching away his effort from the left-hand side of the penalty area.
Christian Maggio then found some space down the right seven minutes before the break, but chipped over with Szczesny advancing, before the Pole’s blushes were saved as Higuain nodded wide from a dreadful attempted clearance.
Mesut Ozil unleashed a shot from distance four minutes into the second period, but saw it bounce well wide of the left-hand post.
Pablo Armero was denied by Szczesny at close range, Callejon dragged a shot wide and Higuain blazed over as Napoli reacted to a raucous home support.
But Higuain, who was linked with a move to Arsenal in the close season, appeared to have sent Napoli through in the 74th minute, turning superbly just inside the penalty area and sending a left-footed effort beyond Szczesny for his first goal against English opposition in the Champions League.
And Napoli received a boost just a couple of minutes later, as Arteta was given his marching orders for a second yellow card, before Callejon chipped a second from close range in stoppage time.
But it left the hosts one goal short of qualification as they became the first club to rack up 12 points but not go through to the last 16, while Arsenal could face the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain after finishing second in the group.
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Casillas nominated for Fifpro Team of the Year
The Real Madrid captain has lost his place in the
Blancos first team this year but is still in the running for the annual
XI alongside the likes of Manuel Neuer
Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has been named among the nominees for the Fifa/Fifpro Team of the Year for 2013.The Spain skipper has endured a frustrating time over the last 12 months, losing his place in the Blancos first team to Diego Lopez after suffering a hand injury in January.
Casillas has not made a Liga appearance for the club since, though he has featured under Carlo Ancelotti in the Champions League and for Spain at the Confederations Cup.
Meanwhile, his rival for the No.1 jersey with the world champions, Barcelona's Victor Valdes is also among the nominees, alongside Manuel Neuer, who led Bayern Munich to the treble last term.
Petr Cech of Europa League winners Chelsea and Gianluigi Buffon, who captained Juventus to a second straight Serie A title complete the field.
Last term, an all-Liga XI was named, with only Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao coming from outside the Real Madrid and Barcelona squads and Casillas in goal.
The 55-strong shortlist for the Fifa/Fifpro XI will be revealed on December 9.
Friday, 8 November 2013
Ronaldo breaks Messi's record for Champions League goals in a calendar year
Ronaldo latched on to a Karim Benzema pass in the 52nd minute and beat Gianluigi Buffon with a right-footed finish to level the scores at 1-1 after Arturo Vidal had blasted the Bianconeri in front from the penalty spot in the first half.
It was the Portuguese's eighth goal in four Group B games this term and his 14th in the Champions League this calendar year, a total which sees him surpass Messi's 13 strikes in 2012.
Ronaldo's goal was his 59th in the Champions League. The Portuguese now trails only Messi (63) and Raul (71). He also needs just one more strike to set a new group stage record currently shared with Hernan Crespo, Filippo Inzaghi and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Messi, meanwhile, can add to his tally for Barca on Wednesday at home to AC Milan. The Argentine has hit seven goals in the Champions League in 2013, having been restricted by injury at the end of last season and also at the beginning of the current campaign.
Friday, 17 May 2013
Ramos: Which club can spend €1 billion on Cristiano Ronaldo?
Sergio Ramos has warned potential suitors of Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo that the 28-year-old would cost €1 billion (£844 million).
The Portuguese attacker has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain as negotiations over a new contract at the Santiago Bernabeu drag on but the defender believes that their star man is happy in the Spanish capital.
'You have to see which club has €1bn to pay what he is worth,' the defender told reporters when quizzed on the French side's interest in the former Manchester United man.
'He should be in Madrid and he is happy here.'
Madrid take on local rivals Atletico in the Copa del Rey final on Friday and Ramos admits that failure to beat Diego Simeone's side would put a negative spin on the whole season.
'It would be a failure in terms of titles,' he conceded. 'There are different ways of losing. If you have to lose, it should be with the same attitude as we had against Borussia Dortmund.
'There are no favourites in the final. After the Champions League, this competition is worth a little more. Injuries? There are no excuses. You play in finals to win.'
An injury to Raphael Varane means that Pepe is likely to partner Ramos at centre-back but the Spaniard is happy to play alongside anyone.
'It's not my call. I'm not a coach. We all want to play - Pepe included,' he added. 'He trains with the team and the squad depends on the coach.'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)









